Scythe.



Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

/Z V A W/T/VESSES. 3 INVENTOR a w? a J, I 11/11,. //A" M 2 Samue/MMfc/ven ATTORNEY nmrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL M. KITCHEN, 0F SALEM, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB- TO BARTLETT ALL STEEL.

SCYTHE COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SCYTHE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918,.

Application filedAp -ilw, 1917. Serial No. 163,135.

ton and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Scythes, of which the following-is a specification. V

This invention relates to improvements in scythes, and the inventionrelates particularly to theconstructionof the heel-end of the scytheblade and the tang.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a relatively thin high gradetool steel scythe blade, preferably made out of sheet steel whichrequires a minimum offorging to reduce it to proper shape andconsistency. A further objectis-to provide novel andsiinple meansfor-reinforcing the heel-end of the blade and also the tang, byincreasing the thickness of the metal in these parts atthe points wherethe greatest strains-are experienced, and to accomplish this objectwithout the use of rivets or of folding and rolling the said parts. Anda further object is to corrugate certain portions of the heel'endt ofthe blade in a novel manner for increasing the strength and forpreventing the buckling of the blade.

A further object is to improve the devices shown in my United StatesPatent N 0. 1,187,432, dated June 13, 1916, and also my pendingapplication Serial No. 115,532.

I attain these objects by the means set forth in the detaileddescription which follows, and as illustrated by the accompanyingdrawing, in which- Figure 1 is a broken plan view; showing the sheetmetal blank from which my improved blade is made.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank comprising the sheet metalreinforcing member.

Fig. 3 is a broken plan view of the heelend of the blade after thereinforcing member has been permanently welded to the blade proper, andthe whole operated upon for producing the finished article.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a similar View taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken on line 66 of Fig. 3. r

In the drawing, 2 represents the blank from which the blade is made,which consists of a plane sheet of tool steel for producing a keen andlasting cutting edge when properly tempered. The blank 2 is preferablynormally of the proper gage and therefore 1 does not require any rollingor forging for bringing it to the proper thickness. 3 represents thecutting edge-of the blade, and 4 represents the back flange portion,which in the finished article is bentupwardly substantially at rightangles to the body of the blade (see Figs. 3, 4, and5). The broadheel-end 5 tapers upwardly toward the back flange 4, for providing arelatively narrow neck 6 to which-is integrally joined'a tang 7. Theblank 2 of'Fig. 1 ispreferably of the same gage throughout, and the backflange 4 preferably extends partially across the rounded end of the tangfor stifiening the neck 6. I

It is known that ascythe blade-is weakest at 'its-heel-end, whichincludes the-portions 5 and-6, anda particular objectofthepres entinvention is to suitably reinforce said parts so as to give to the wholeblade the requisite strength and stiffness. "The rein forcement referredto consists of overlaying a portion of the heel-end 5, as Well as theneck 6, and the tang 7, with a sheet metal plate or part 8, which isfirst blanked-out of sheet steel, as shown in Fig. 2, having an angularweb 8, and a tang 8", corresponding to the similar parts of the blade 2.The

plate 8 may consist of any suitable grade of steel. The blank 8 isdisposed upon the blank 2 (see dotted lines in Fig. 3), where it istemporarily held in place preferably by spot welding. The heel-end ofthe blades 2 with the overlaid portion 8 is next heated and then placedbetween suitable dies or forging tools and subjected to a suflicientpressure to firmly weld parts 8 and 2 together, as shown in Figs. 3, 4,5 and 6. The dies (not shown) are preferably provided with grooves andtongues, which during the welding operation referred to, mold or formtwo or more ribs 9 and 10 on the top side of the blade, andcorresponding grooves 9 and 10 in the bottom side of the blade. The rib9 preferably extends from the neck 6 forwardly toward the point of theblade substantially parallel to the back flange 4, while the rib 10extends from a point substantially midway between the rib 9 and thecutting edge 3, at an angle of approximately 45, to and intersecting therib 9 near its forward end. The ribs9 and 10 preferably taper, theirbroadest ends facing the tang 7. By

this novel construction and arrangement of the heel-end of the blade,said end is doubled in thickness. The rib 9 prevents the blade frombending or buckling at its narrowest point neck 6, while the rib 10prevents the broad heel portion 5 from twisting independently from theneck and tang. Thus the weakest portions of the blade are adequatelystrengthened and stiffened. The ribs 9 and 10 are preferably positionedso that their outer edges 11 correspond to the margins 12 of the plate8. By this provision, the laps or joints between the blades 2 and 8 areobscured. The back flange 4: may be bent up by means of the same diesemployed for forming the ribs and grooves 9 and 10 at a singleoperation, if desired. In any event, the main portion of the blade 2beyond the reinforcing portions needs but one heating, therefore thehigh grade of the steel is not liable to be impaired. This latterfeature is important for the reason thatunder the old methods ofconstructing scythes, the blades were heated so many times that theywere rendered soft and incapable of retaining sharp cutting edges forany length of time. I

My method and means for reinforcing the heel-end of the scythe blade areextremely simple, and they are believed to be novel. The cost ofconstruction as well asthe labor are greatly reduced, while thestrength, durability and efficiency of the whole scythe is materiallyimproved. r I

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A scythe, including a blade of uniform thickness throughout andhaving an integral tang separated from the blade by a neck, areinforcing plate welded to the top face of the tang, the neck and aportion of the heelend of the blade, and tapering reinforcing ribs andgrooves formed in the welded parts of the neck and heelend of the blade,the said ribs and grooves converging and, intersecting toward thepointed end of the blade.

2. A scythe, including a blade of uniform thickness throughout andhaving an integral tangseparated from the body of the blade by a neck, areinforcing plate mounted upon and welded to the tang, the neck and aportion of the heel-end of the blade adjacent the neck, a pair of ribsand grooves made from the welded parts, one of said ribs and itscorresponding groove extending across the neck and a portion of theheel-end of the blade, the other rib and corresponding groove extendingobliquely from the rearend of the blade and intersecting said first riband groove toward the pointed end of the blade. V 1

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

SAMUEL M. KITCHEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

